I agree. Security cameras were big, bulky things in the early 90's, camera memory was very limited, and the internet was still several years away when the inspirational material was originally developed. Now cameras are everywhere, memory is practically unlimited once you factor in "the Cloud", and software exists to do pattern searches on that memory from a thousand miles away. It would be a nightmare for any Nos who left the sewer tunnels.
Except the point about Astrid wasn't her beauty, but that she looked very "human", even while in torpor, and that "her kind" were that way according to Sharon. I can't imagine anyone saying that the Tzimisce are a particularly human looking clan. Most would say they were very inhuman.
***No I understood the point and state it, I am asserting that she has crafted her/himself to look very human like. This would not necessarily go away if in torpor where as some presence powers that make her seem like your very human charismatic best friend require being conscious.
The game fluff has always implied that Toreador are very human-like, although there was never any mechanic to back that up.
***Game fluff never states that any vampire, unless they have the merit, or are intentionally masking it, can look perfectly human. I am simply going with a theory that fits the points we have so far.
Astrid has never changed her shape, until she does I'll consider Toreador to be more likely.
*** I am postulating the following-
She was in Scottstown after sending the huntards there to embarrass or impede Sharon, to capture the 3rd hunter which would prevent Sharon from a perfect record. She is older and more powerful than Sharon, and I am taking it another step further and giving her teeth so to speak, or really claws in this case.
You think it was Astrid who attacked Sharon out in the woods?
*** yes I am postulating that she did that. Further I am now going to pin Merrick's disappearance on her/him as well.
Or she could simply be naturally beautiful. A lot of Toreador are embraced because of their looks. The notable thing here is that Astrid looks incredibly human, and Sharon says that "her kind" are that way. So it's implied that the human look applies to her clan, not just her.
*** I do not take that same position. Sharon may know that Astrid is a different bloodline, and may know they can shift forms, so that may be why she says "her kind".
As I understand it your reasons for believing Astrid is a Tzim are
1) She's good looking, and *** no she can be sculpted in any way she /he wants. In my theory it is a human seeming female.
2) She looks very human. *** see above
*3) she is too involved with the Scottstown action.
*4) She sold out Sharon and company to hunters
*5) She has Gregor, and no mention was made in court of a missing hunter
*6) conveniently Merrick is missing-perhaps dead but hoping he is in Nos hangout, or prisoner of Astrid.
*7) What hit Sharon was bigger, faster and way meaner than the feral Nos. You just described a warform tzmisice, warform gangrel, or a werewolf. I am going with Tzimisce
Is that it? You implied above that you had more reasons when you said "too many things point to her being something more than just Toreador." Those two things point more towards Toreador than Tzimisce, especially given that Sharon heavily implied that (2) doesn't just apply to Astrid but her entire clan.
*** see above
If you ingest another clan's blood you can pick up their powers, although in the case of thaumaturgy you must still receive instruction. I recall a Giovanni that that picked up protean by drinking gangrel blood in the Giovanni Chronicles, and a second Giovanni who diablerized the first Giovanni and picked up protean in the process.
*** Yes you can, which would lend itself to Astrid being whatever she is but picked up Visiccitude along the way.
Blech!
I'm with
Ayhsel on this one. ***
This is too far out in conjecture land for me to consider until there is evidence in the game to back it up. At this point we don't even know if there is a clan based around a vicissitude-like power that is similar to the Tzim in the game.
*** as stated I am going out on a limb here. It fits in a lot of ways to check my investigative boxes.
